11 minute read
Rise early birds
Jan and Gary Wilkins and Roger and Helen Lang, Halcyon Rise
The earlybird gets the worm
Pioneer homeowners looking forward to building new community foundations
Being foundation homeowners at Halcyon is an incredibly lucky position to be in as it is an opportunity to mould and create the identity and spirit of the new community from the very beginning. There are also a number of opportunities for a new community’s foundation homeowners to meet and connect before the moving van arrives at their new home. These four Halcyon Rise “pioneers” had the chance to spend some time together, and discovered they have a lot in common besides being new neighbours. Helen and Roger Lang had been church pastors during their working lives, while Gary and Jan Wilkins currently have a son studying in seminary school to become a pastor. “It was such a nice connection to have,” Roger said. “Jan said their grandkids are at Westside Christian School and we’ve had a lot to do with that school over the years.” Roger said as well as being able to stay close to their social network, there were financial benefits to buying at Rise. “It really helped us financially be being able to take advantage of the earlybird deals on offer,” he said. “We’re ‘people people’ so we’re really looking forward to being able to move in and welcome everyone who moves to the community.”
The Wilkins onsite at Halcyon Rise, Logan Reserve
Helen and Roger Lang, Halcyon Rise
Staying close to social networks appeals to longtime Logan residents
After selling their house in Logan where they lived for 20 years, Roger and Helen Lang are excited to be foundation homeowners at Halcyon Rise, which offers the best of city-country living.
A former pastor at an international church in Sunnybank, Roger retired five years ago and still has strong ties within the Logan area where he and Helen, a retired midwife and nurse, continue to provide mentoring services. Community is at the heart of the couple’s relationship – Roger and Helen met at a youth group in Melbourne and have been married for 52 years, raising four children and now 10 grandchildren. “Halcyon Rise is only 16 minutes’ away from where we used to live,” Roger said. “Staying close to our family and social networks was very important to us.” “We will be living in close proximity to Brisbane and Logan as well as enjoying an acreage lifestyle minus the maintenance.” For Roger, who grew up in country Victoria, the new community allows him to indulge his interest in farming while maintaining his ties to the local community. “We can live the ‘city country life’ that Halcyon Rise offers, but also stay in touch with all our networks, which is very important to us,” Roger said. The connection and freedom that Halcyon over-50s lifestyle communities offer is what appealed most to the couple, and, in particular, Roger highlights the welcoming attitude of the staff as Halcyon’s main point of difference. Roger said he believed Halcyon’s Joint Managing Director Dr Bevan Geissmann’s background as a GP is the reason why “he understands and cares about retirees’ wants and needs.” These included factors such as secure, gated and connected communities, socially active lifestyle opportunities with the freedom to simply lock up your home and leave. “Helen and I felt welcome and cared for from the moment we met the team,” Roger said. “We’re really excited to become part of the Halcyon family.”`
Gary and Jan Wilkins, Halcyon Rise
Goaaaaaaaaal! Aussie soccer legend scores at Logan Reserve
Soccer fans might recognise one of Halcyon Rise’s foundation homeowners.
Gary Wilkins represented Australia four times in the 1960s and 70s, and was one of the founding members of the Brisbane Roar Football Club, who were sadly defeated in this years’ A-League elimination final. Having been retired for a number of years, Gary is still a club patron and along with his wife Jan, were looking for a tree change but also wanted to stay connected to the city. Halcyon Rise, which is located 30 minutes drive south of Brisbane in Logan Reserve, offered the best of both worlds for the couple. “Halcyon Rise offers the laidback lifestyle we want where we don’t have to worry about security, and there’s less housework and garden maintenance so we can just enjoy life,” Gary said. Jan added: “We wanted to downsize from our four-bedroom house with double garage and a big yard to having a more relaxed lifestyle with our own home.” “We also like that Halcyon Rise is close to both of our boys and our grandchildren as well.” As a nod to Logan’s agricultural heritage, Rise contains many one-of-a-kind amenities, including 40 acres of open space, firepit as well its own orchard, raised herb and vegetable garden beds, beehives and a chicken coop. The secure gated community comprises thoughtfully designed homes as well as sporting and leisure facilities, including a heated resort pool and an arts and crafts room, which appeals to Jan, an avid sewer who makes craft for charity. “We’re looking forward to being able to utilise the many activities and facilities that Rise will offer,” Jan said.
Sunshine Coast locals come “home” to B by Halcyon
SPORTS-LOVING COUPLE LOOK FORWARD TO STARTING A NEW LIFE IN BUDERIM
When longtime Mountain Creek residents Sue and Gary Hadenham listed their home for sale in the height of COVID-19, little did they know just how fast it would be snapped up.
“It had literally gone on realestate. com.au and our agent called to ask if someone could come and inspect, not tomorrow but today,” Sue said. “Within two hours, the deal was done.”
Sue said the buyers originally wanted a two-week settlement but ended up agreeing on three weeks. “It was actually great as it meant we had to get organised very quickly, there was certainly no mucking around.” Keen golfers, Sue and Gary had made the decision to move into an over 50s community as the maintenance on their large home had become a chore.
“I didn’t want to move, I loved our home and I’d said I was never leaving,” Sue said. “But it was on 1000 m2 and even though we’d done a massive renovation 15 years ago, everything was looking like it needed updating.” After visiting a competitor, the pair drove into Whites Road to take a look at B by Halcyon, which Sue said took her breath away and she said to Gary: “I’m home.” The active couple are looking forward to being able to participate in all of the health and wellness activities on offer, including the gym, pools and yoga lawn. “I am really excited about the Creative Arts Pavilion as I’m a botanical artist and I run quite a few workshops and classes.” “To have this beautiful new facility to enjoy is just wonderful.” The countdown is on for the Hadenhams to move into their new home atB by Halcyon later this month. “We’re excited, but it’s a bit daunting as we are the first group into the community,” Sue said. “There are a lot of people from the Buderim area moving into the community, so there will be people that we know.”
Welcome Centre and Display Homes are now open.
2 Retreat Drive, Buderim QLD 4556 (Off Whites Road) 1800 050 050
Gary and Sue Hadenham, B by Halcyon
Putting your own stamp on your new home
Gary and Sue’s home is on a corner block and they have chosen the Kuranda design with the skillion roof.
Sue said they had decided to make some variations to the home, mainly pushing some of the walls out in the living room. “We have an alcove where we plan to put a TV cabinet and put the VJ board up and paint the wall black,” she said. In regards to colour choices, Sue said they had chosen “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” from the eight colour schemes on offer, which include Coastal, Country, Urban and Rainforest with soft and bold options. She said the lower kitchen cabinets were a dark grey, with the higher cabinets in a natural oak to match the floors which feature throughout the home apart from the wet areas. The kitchen, bathroom and laundry splashback and feature walls will all have white subway tiles, creating a fresh contemporary take on a classic style. “The process has been quite easy,” she said. “I had some strong ideas on what I like, and I will add to the palette myself with furniture and artwork.”
Sue said they had chosen the “Formal” landscaping and garden choice, which includes plants and flowers such as gardenia and magnolia. “As we’re on a corner block, we have three metres of lawn from our home to the fence line but we are selling the lawnmower as we’ve put some artificial turf down,” she said. “We’re not going to know ourselves as we used to live on 1000sqm and the house we’ve been renting is on three blocks of land and we’ve had to do the lawns.”
Love lands at Halcyon Lakeside
TWO SINGLE HOMEOWNERS MAKE THE PERFECT DOUBLES FOR LIFE AND PICKLEBALL
Del Tandy and Barry Goodin, Halcyon Lakeside
Falling in love was the last thing on their minds when Barry Goodin and Del Tandy moved to Halcyon Lakeside as single homeowners last year.
“It was not on my mind at all, I moved to Halcyon Lakeside for fun and friendship,” Barry said. But fate had other plans for this dynamic duo. Barry moved to Halcyon Lakeside from Twin Waters in July 2019, while Del had her Pelican Waters house settle on the same day she moved in to her new Halcyon Lakeside home in October last year. The first thing Barry noticed about Del was her kindness and sincerity, while Del said she could tell from the start that Barry was a loving, kind and happy person. “We met at a couple of functions and said ‘hello’ and that was about it,” Barry remembered. After chatting, Del and Barry discovered they had both attended Nambour High School, lived in the same area and knew each other’s family and friends. A couple of days later, Barry asked Del out for a coffee. “Suddenly something clicked and there was a spark there,” Del said. “We went to the New Year’s Eve function together and danced the night away,” Barry added. “We have been together ever since so it’s coming up on nine months now.” As well as growing up in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast, Barry and Del share many other common interests and enjoy camping, playing pickleball and shopping together. “In my experience, it is definitely a positive,” Barry said. “The lifestyle here is so good and we have so many mutual friends. We are looking forward to the future.” “It has been such a nice surprise,” Del said. “I have always said I believe in fate and if the right person came along and I was open to it, it was meant to be. “When I moved to Halcyon I was so delighted to be here and so happy, then when I met Barry it was like a double whammy. I thought, wow, the universe works in magical ways.”
Halcyon Joint Managing Directors Paul Melville and Dr Bevan Geissmann
Silver linings appear despite uncertainty
In these unprecedented and difficult times, it is comforting to know we have leaders who are doing their utmost to steer us through uncharted waters.
We are fortunate in Queensland to have a measured and responsible plan to handle any escalation in the number of COVID-19 cases and the associated repercussions of that. The virus is something we are all trying to live alongside in a safe way as the many medical researchers across the world and here in Queensland race to discover a vaccine. As a company and as an industry, we have also taken a measured and responsible approach to how we continue to move forward while still ensuring our homeowners are kept safe in the cul-de-sac of Halcyon. We are committed to retaining and creating jobs for our hundreds of staff, contractors and suppliers and we are delighted to be able to increase construction momentum at some of our burgeoning communities. Life goes on for all of us and our homeowners are a shining example of not squandering any opportunities. They are squeezing as much juice out of their days by discovering new ways to connect, exploring new passions or stoking the fires of old ones – while still keeping safe. We hope you have made yourself a cup of tea, settled back in your favourite chair and have enjoyed some of the wonderful stories from our communities…And maybe you’ll discover why, “Life begins at Halcyon”.
